mckinster



U, 3 V.. a M d e t n Dv t a P R E l S N K c M J.. .Ff 0. 9 7, 5 2 .0 a N MAIL BAG CATCHER.

(Application fllad Feb. 18, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE;

IRA F. J. MOKINSTER, OF GRAYSON, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-BAG CATCH ER'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 625,790, dated May 30, 1899. Application filed February 18, 1899. Serial No. 706,030. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA F. J. MCKINSTER, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Grayson, in the county of Carter andl State of Kentucky, have invented vcertain new and usefulIrnprovements in Mail-.Bag Catchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. 1-

This invention relates to mail-bag holders, and particularly to that class in which the mailbag is delivered and removed at a continuous operation.

Theobject of the invention is to provide novel means for holding the mail-bag in place that a cross-arm attached to a passing car may remove same.

Furthermore, the object of theinvention is to provide a novel device for receiving and holding the bag deposited from the passing car.

The invomion has for its sun further on,

ject .to provide loosely-connected rings for receiving and suspending the mail-bags and in so forming the crosslarm that one of said rings may be held in a novel manner, so as to project thereabove. p l

Finally, the object of the invention is to produce a device of the character noted in which the parts will be strong, durable, and efficient, satisfactory in use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. v

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details ot' construction and in the arrangement and conlbination of parts to b'e hereinafter more fully Aset forth and speciiically claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure :1 is a view in perspective showing my invention in operation. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation. Fig. 3 is a detailV perspective view of oneend of the supporting-arm.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a stepped base, 2 a standard, and 3 an arm extending from the standard toward the railway-track.

Arranged transversely of the arm, near its free end, is a cross-arm 4, having bifurcated ends 5.' The upper surface of the cross-arm is also provided with notches 6 at about the center of the bifurcated sections. Near the center of the cross-arm to the side of the arm 4 are undercut notches 7, which receive the rings as they are deposited on the cross-arm from the passing car, and it will be noted that the lower ring has passed through it the mailbag which is to be deposited or taken. The ends of the'cross-arni are practically duplicates, and the operation is the same regardless of the direction the car is going.

The rings 8 are joined together loosely, two rings being required for each deposit or removal of the mail-bags. By having the rings loosely connected there will be no joints to break, and the cost of` production will be reduced, and the application of the rings to the cross-arm will be facilitated.

Acting in conjunction with the cross-ar1n t is a -second cross-arm 9, having near its ends notches 10 and near the center undercut notches 1l, the former being for the purpose of receiving the ring to be deposited on the stationary cross-arm and the latter for receiving the ring taken from the stationary cross-arm. The mail-bags are attached to the rings in the usual manner by having the bag supported in the center. The cross-arm 9 is connected with an arm 12, and the arm 12 in turn is secured to a bar 13, rotatable in bearings 14 on the side of the car.

Stay rods or wires 15 connect the end of the arm 3 with cross-ties 16 for the purpose of giving rigidity to thestructure and enabling it to withstand the impact of the mailbags. l

As will be seen from'the drawings, the upper ring lies transversely of the cross-arm, with its lower end resting in the notch, while the lower ring supporting the bag lies between the two extensions of the arms. Thus turning of the rings ispre vented, and the upper one is alined to receive the moving crossarm. The weight of the mail-bag and the pull exerted by the lower ring suflices to'hold the upper ring.

It will be observed in View of the foregoing that ordinary use will not cause any serious deterioration of the several elements of the invention. f

IOO

The construction, operation, and advan tages will, it is thought, be appreciated, and it is noted that various changes in the proportions and other details of construction may be made and yet the spirit of the invention will not be departed from.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.q

1. In combination, a suitable standard and arm, a crossarm having bifurcated ends, and rings one of which lies between the forked ends, the second ring standing on its edge transversely of the arm and held by rstnamed ring, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a standard-arm, a cross-arm having bifureated ends, two rings loosely connected, one of said rings standing on its edge transversely on the cross-arm, and the other lyingin the bifurcated section and holding the upper ring upright, and a traveling arm adapted to remove the rings from the cross-arms, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a standard-arm, a cross-arm having bifnrcated ends, two rings loosely connected, one of said rings standing on its edge transversely on the cross-arm, and the other lying in the bifurcated section and holding the upper ring upright,.and a traveling arm adapted to remove the rings from the cross-arms, said traveling arm being adapted to carry a ring to be` deposited on the stationary arm, substantially as described.

4. In combination With a standard and an arm having stay-rods, a cross-arm having bifurcated ends, two rings loosely connected, one of said rings standing on its edge transversely on the cross-arm, and the other lying in the bifurcated section and holding the npper ring upright, and a traveling arm adapted to remove the rings from the cross-arms, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a standard and arm,-

a cross-arm having bifurcated ends, notches and undercut notches, two rings loosely connected, one of said rings standing on its edge transversely on the cross-arm, and the other lying in the bifurcated section and holding the upper ring upright, and a traveling arm adapted to remove the rings from the crossarms, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presenceot' two witnesses.

I. F. J. MCKINSTER. Witnesses:

THos. D. THEoBoLD, WINFIELD SCOTT. 

